Youth & Family Ministry
| Children and Youth Emergency Form |
It is true that most of a child's faith development happens within the day to day life of their family, and at Trindle Spring we strive to support that. We want to provide experiences and resources for families to grow together in their faith, and to use in their own home. We also think it is imperative to build community through our Youth and Family Ministry offerings. Below you will find a few of the opportunities that happen throughout the year. For questions about our Youth and Family Ministries, you can contact our Youth Directors, Casey & Elaine McMillan.
Elementary Youth Group
The Elementary Youth Group meets once a month for lunch, activities, and Faith Formation. Friends and guests are always welcome to join us.
Middle/High School Youth Group
The Middle/High School Youth group gathers at once a month at the church to enjoy dinner together followed by team building, devotions, games, and faith formation activities. They generally have a second event each month outside the church. This might be a fellowship event like bowling or ice skating, a service project, or a retreat. Guests are always welcome.
Harrisburg Area Confirmation Camp
Each summer we join with other congregations from around the region for a week at Camp Nawakwa. Confirmation Camp is for youth in 6th - 11th grade. We spend the week exploring scripture, the Small Catechism, worshipping, and having fun at camp. For more information, check out the camp website at https://harrisburgconfirmationcamp.org/
Multi-Congregation Events
It is great for youth to experience the larger church as well as their own congregation. Our youth gather with other youth groups for events several times a year, including the youth group kick off "Day 'O Games" and the annual winter Mega Retreat. Trindle Spring Lutheran youth also attend the annual Lower Susquehanna Synod Events ("Alive" for Grades 6-8 and "Winterfest" for Grades 9-12), and the triennial ELCA National Youth Gathering.
Elementary Youth Group
The Elementary Youth Group meets once a month for lunch, activities, and Faith Formation. Friends and guests are always welcome to join us.
Middle/High School Youth Group
The Middle/High School Youth group gathers at once a month at the church to enjoy dinner together followed by team building, devotions, games, and faith formation activities. They generally have a second event each month outside the church. This might be a fellowship event like bowling or ice skating, a service project, or a retreat. Guests are always welcome.
Harrisburg Area Confirmation Camp
Each summer we join with other congregations from around the region for a week at Camp Nawakwa. Confirmation Camp is for youth in 6th - 11th grade. We spend the week exploring scripture, the Small Catechism, worshipping, and having fun at camp. For more information, check out the camp website at https://harrisburgconfirmationcamp.org/
Multi-Congregation Events
It is great for youth to experience the larger church as well as their own congregation. Our youth gather with other youth groups for events several times a year, including the youth group kick off "Day 'O Games" and the annual winter Mega Retreat. Trindle Spring Lutheran youth also attend the annual Lower Susquehanna Synod Events ("Alive" for Grades 6-8 and "Winterfest" for Grades 9-12), and the triennial ELCA National Youth Gathering.
Harrisburg Area Confirmation Camp 2026
June 21-27, 2026
Camp Nawakwa
ConCamp is always one of the highlights of the year, and 2026 was no different. Over 200 youth and adult leaders from across the Lower Susquehanna Synod gathered at Camp Nawakwa for a week away from every day life to focus on learning more about God, deepening their faith, fostering community, and having a whole bunch of fun doing it. We invite you to enjoy these pictures from the week, and next time you see one of the TSLC members who attended, ask them to tell you more about their experience and why ConCamp is such an important part of their faith journey.
TSLC Members who attended Harrisburg Area Confirmation Camp 2026:
CAMPERS: Kayla Placzek, Maxwell Stitzel, Kathryn Erdley, Riley Henry, Carly Gordon and Abby Jones
COUNSELORS: Thomas Burns, Colin Ingraham, Pidge Jones
LOGISTICS TEAM: Jenna Gordon
IMAGES TEAM: Ryan Smith
NURSING TEAM: Tina Gordon and Megan (Eppley) Knapp
PROGRAM STAFF: Casey & Elaine McMillan
PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Pastor Aaron Erdley
TSLC Members who attended Harrisburg Area Confirmation Camp 2026:
CAMPERS: Kayla Placzek, Maxwell Stitzel, Kathryn Erdley, Riley Henry, Carly Gordon and Abby Jones
COUNSELORS: Thomas Burns, Colin Ingraham, Pidge Jones
LOGISTICS TEAM: Jenna Gordon
IMAGES TEAM: Ryan Smith
NURSING TEAM: Tina Gordon and Megan (Eppley) Knapp
PROGRAM STAFF: Casey & Elaine McMillan
PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Pastor Aaron Erdley
Lower Susquehanna Synod Leadership Training Camp
July 26-August 1, 2026
Camp Nawakwa
Each year, congregations throughout the Lower Susquehanna Synod are invited to identify young leaders in grades 8-12 who display gifts for leadership and who might like to strengthen those gifts in service to God and others, and to recommend them for our annual synod Leadership Training Camp (LT Camp). The week includes a balance of faithful conversation, fun, fellowship, powerful worship, and a healthy mix of play and faith formation. This year, TSLC rising 12th grader, Carly Gordon, was nominated and selected to represent us at LT Camp. Below are some pictures from the week and some reflections from Carly.
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During the week, one of my favorite activities we have a session that’s called touches of warmth. It’s an anonymous affirmation. We all sit in a circle with our backs to each other and the staff will call out prompts like someone who made you laugh this week or someone who
made you feel loved. There will be a small group of people in the middle (that changes out periodically, so everyone will be in the middle eventually) going around and laying their hands on the people’s shoulders in the circle that they think applies to that affirmation. I tend to not see the impact I’m having on others and this activity helps affirm what we did this week and how we impacted each other. Then later in the week we discussed how our leadership types affect how we lead and how we work together as leaders. I think that really speaks on how we all lead differently. It helps us because different perspectives help more people to process the information better. My faith was enhanced at leadership training camp because we were able to ask questions about doubt and our faith. We had staff there to answer our questions on why leadership is important, how it can also help grow our faith, and clarify things that we didn’t have an understanding of. |